Staff writer
Efforts are still underway to find approximately $500,000 in grant funding to finance major renovations of the old rescue building on North Center Street.
Plans call for restoring the old facility and turning it into use as a fire department.
Architectural plans have already been drawn, and approved.
In recent discussions with Wayne County and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regional officials, Town Manager Jammie Royall said he learned money from both of those sources might be available.
Royall did not go into any details, but said discussions are still being held on the issue.
The town purchased a 6-acre site near Carver Elementary School several years ago for construction of a new fire department at some point in time.
Cost of that project is expected to be about $5 million.
The town manager said a temporary solution to the dire need of a new fire department is the renovation of the old rescue facility two blocks from the current fire department.
He said it has additional floor space and bays for fire engines.
“We are still looking for funds for a new department on the land we bought, but the current department is bulging at the seams and has far outgrown its needs,” said Royall.
Something has to be done right away, he said.
